ADR (Carriage of Dangerous Goods)
training covering Core, Packs, Tanks, Classes 2 3 4 5 6 8 9
Suitable for both initial and
refresher training
Option to gain up to 28 hours
Driver CPC
Location: Terrington St John,
Wisbech
The ADR driver qualification is a
legal requirement for those drivers involved in the carriage of dangerous goods
by road. The qualification is valid for a maximum of 5- years but can be
renewed after the 4th year. Drivers must also make sure their qualification is
renewed before six weeks of its expiry.
The carriage of dangerous goods
by road (ADR) is the flagship training course delivered by CTS. As a family
business specializing in the delivery of dangerous goods, you are certain to
gain that extra knowledge from experience when you choose CTS for your next ADR
course. For those wishing to have the tanks licence will also have the benefit
of a live introduction to one of our tanker vehicles.
Please don’t think I’m about to use the first of my columns to get ‘party political’, or indeed that I’m going to beat the all too familiar path towards Brexit. That said, current events do rather point to the importance of negotiation as a really important process when it comes to getting things done.
Every deal that’s done, every sale that’s made involves, to a greater or lesser extent, some negotiation. It’s about knowing what you want out of it, and trying to achieve that to you and your customer‘s satisfaction.
As far as our ‘leaders’ are concerned, right now the Brexit negotiations look about as complex as they could get. Sailing in uncharted waters, they’re negotiating with 27 countries on unprecedented issues. It’s tough.
But consider this. Every business person who exports to Europe, or anywhere else, has to negotiate not just with each country but with each customer within each country. And every customer at home too. In today’s business climate it’s not uncommon for the next sale, the next deal, to be unprecedented either. It might require a new modification to the product or service, a new price to be established or a new delivery schedule.
So here’s the thing. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that it’s commerce, and the people who drive it, who have to negotiate all day every day in order to make things happen. The things that create sales, revenue and jobs.
Let’s not forget either that commerce can’t do it alone. Infrastructure, technology, strategic direction – they’re all essential requirements from government (note the lower case ‘g’; this applies to whoever is at Westminster), and it’s very much part of our role as the Chamber to ensure that you, the practitioners of commerce in our region, are heard. And more importantly listened to.
I’ll be building on the outstanding work done so far to ensure that we develop and refine our message, and our means of delivering it, to ensure that we are taken notice of.
Now, that might mean we have to accept that some things can be done before others. That priorities are adjusted. Fine – That’s negotiation. But here’s the thing, yes we can do negotiation. My track record is largely in the technology sector, but firmly in the entrepreneurial arena, and negotiating has been critical to successes. Believe me, back in the day, talking with a multiple of financial service companies, some of whom were formed 300 years prior and still using pencils was a challenge. Convincing them that the internet was the future trading platform took a lot of negotiation. I enjoy it. Especially if it’s carried out in a positive atmosphere, because that requires you to behave optimistically, a key attribute in driving your business forward.
So, I’ll call on all my experiences to support the region’s commerce and steer us into, and through, the aforementioned uncharted waters, and beyond, as I have many more exciting plans to share.
Introducing Team BRIT: Changing Motorsport. Changing Lives.
This is more than just a day at the track. It is a chance to stand beside an extraordinary team and help raise awareness and funds for their life-changing work.
Team BRIT, in proud partnership with Brit Insurance, is the world’s only competitive team made up entirely of disabled racing drivers. They are a team of determined racers competing head-to-head with able-bodied drivers, proving that true performance knows no limits.
Team BRIT supports people with physical and psychological challenges to access motorsport. Using world-leading hand control technology, expert coaching, and powerful personal stories, they are opening doors to a sport that has traditionally felt out of reach. From grassroots racing and track days to elite endurance championships, they are building a clear and sustainable path for disabled drivers to thrive.
Their ultimate goal is to compete in the legendary Le Mans 24-hour race as the first ever all-disabled team to do so. Along the way, they are transforming lives, reshaping the racing world, and showing what is possible with the right support and belief.
Norfolk Chambers of Commerce and Uptech are proud to invite you to The Team BRIT Experience, a very special day that gives you exclusive insight into the team’s world.
What your day includes:
A delicious two-course buffet lunch served in the hospitality marquee
A behind-the-scenes garage tour and the chance to meet some of the incredible drivers
An inspiring talk from Team BRIT’s Team Principal
Access to the track to watch the team in live testing sessions
Chance to enter into a raffle to win a stunning Christopher Ward watch
The opportunity to take home a used Team BRIT tyre as a unique keepsake, in exchange for a donation to support the team
Our sponsor: Uptech
As proud sponsors of this unique event, we at Uptech are excited to be on track with Team BRIT and Norfolk Chambers of Commerce. Just like in racing, having the right tech setup makes all the difference, whether it’s precision engineering or dependable IT support. From the pit lane to the office, we help businesses stay secure, connected, and firing on all cylinders.
A spelling mistake isn’t going to kill your brand, but if you want to grow it online using Social Media there are a few things your business needs to avoid doing.
1 | Spamming – Quality over quantity
Throwing content out there willy-nilly is a common mistake for a lot of people. The idea of getting as much content in front of people’s faces can be a very damaging thing, especially on Facebook.
Facebook uses a number of algorithms to prioritise content on somebody’s timeline, one of which includes frequency of posts. So I would recommend posting no more than 5 times a day.
Twitter on the other hand is completely different, people seem to digest content much faster and content is sorted by ‘most recent’. I recommend anywhere from 5-20 posts on Twitter per day.
A little bit of planning never hurt anybody – spread your posts out throughout the day and use a number of different methods of sharing (video, images, etc).
2 | Ghostown
Another common problem almost stems from fear of my previous point. People tend to worry about ‘over-posting’ and end up leaving their Social Media platforms looking like a baron wasteland.
Don’t do this either! Get a decent plan in place, and stick to it. A content calendar can be a very useful tool when combatting both ‘spamming’ and ending up like a ‘ghostown’.
3 | Too much automation
Automating posts can be a wonderful thing (wow, what a perfect segue; why not check out my previous Blog on it), but using it too much can become damaging, and your content can begin to look robotic and people will tune out.
Use it, but only in moderation!
4 | Very little/no interaction
Interaction is a key element to bringing your brand to life. Talking to people and answering questions, either out in public or via private messages, can give your Social Media channels personality.
But be aware, ensure the ‘voice’ you use suits your brand.
5 | “I must be on every platform!”
A common misconception of Social Media is that your content must be everywhere, this is definitely not the case! You need to focus your content on platforms that your message suits.
For instance, there is no point in creating an Instagram page if a majority of your content is not image based.
Pick the platforms that suit your message!
6| Sharing only your own content
Yes, your content is fantastic – but other people’s content may be able to complement what you have to say. Share Blogs and news articles that relate to your topic/product!
7 | Not committing long term
Staying committed to Social Media can be tough. It can end up being a massive time consumer. With a lot of aspects of business going digital, Social Media is only going to become more pivotal.
Make sure it’s part of your long term plan. Invest in it wisely, and don’t forget about it and leave it to gather dust in your attic of ideas.
If you ever need support with Social Media or your overall digital strategy, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Norfolk Chamber has a wealth of members who are great at pointing you in the right direction!
2020 has been a significant year for many of us. Faced with a global pandemic, we have all had to adapt to our new circumstances; learning a great deal along the way. Using what we’ve learned, isn’t January 2021 the perfect time to set out your stand for the year ahead and see how we can make an impact?
For January’s ‘An Audience With’ session, we will be joined but the inspirational Elizabeth T Vega OBE. As the CEO of Informed Solution, Elizabeth has over 30 years’ experience working at executive leadership level, heading & advising on complex change and digital transformation programmes for globally recognised and respected organisations.
A women in tech pioneer, Elizabeth was the first person to be an elected Director at leading technology trade associations in both the UK and Australia with techUK, where she was a Main Board Member for 8 years and serving two terms as National Deputy Chair of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA). In the October 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Elizabeth was awarded the title of OBE.
Elizabeth holds a variety of high profile industry representative roles including; Member of the UK Govt. Cabinet Office Small & Medium Business Panel, Chair of the Culture & Capability Working Group and Member of the Public Sector Procurement Innovation Panel, where she champions the creation of a diverse, innovative and competitive supplier marketplace. As a trusted and respected advisor to government, as well as private sector clients, Elizabeth leverages her experience, insights and industry thought leadership to advocate for better solutions to the challenges that government, business, the economy and our society faces.
We’ll be discussing her journey so far, her experiences as a female entrepreneur and how you can make an impact in 2021. The event will be held virtually with the opportunity to ask questions
This is a Zoom webinar- details will be sent in your confirmation email. You will find it at the bottom of the email, in ‘Additional Details’. This meeting is password protected and must be accessed using the encrypted link
Technology and how we use it is evolving rapidly but Norfolk’s digital and mobile infrastructure needs to keep pace. Norfolk Chamber is keen to ensure that both our digital and mobile infrastructure are fit for purpose and that our business community is ready to take advantage of new technology developments as they evolve.
Greater mobile coverage is needed to provide better reliability. This includes erecting more mobile signal masts and creating a simplified planning process to gain the necessary permissions. Another simple solution to improve existing coverage would be to allow mobile roaming across the existing network providers.
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said: “Norfolk Chamber wants to ensure that our business community is able to take advantage of new technology developments as they evolve and one of those key areas is the rise in the mobile office and the need by more business people to do business on the move. To do this we need more investment in our mobile signal infrastructure and changes in how the service providers operate i.e. roaming signals.”
A network of providers ensures that the majority of Norfolk receives mobile signal coverage but no one provider can deliver a high percentage of overall signal coverage across the county.
At present the providers do not allow seamless roaming between their networks – so every business user, no matter which network provides their service, suffers from unreliable mobile signal coverage in Norfolk.
A recent British Chambers of Commerce survey showed that 83% of Norfolk business users experienced ‘not spots’, 43% had access to 4G, and more concerning, 11% of business users still only had access to 2G – voice calls only with no internet or data.
Neil Orford, President of Great Yarmouth Chamber Council and Partner at Lovewell Blake,said: “If we wish to be seen as a place to do business, we must continue to press for improvement in the service provided.”
Whilst approximately 86% of Norfolk has access to 24mbps, a recent British Chambers of Commerce survey, reported that the Norfolk business community still thought that Norfolk’s digital infrastructure was not yet totally fit for purpose.
Lynsey Sweales, a Norfolk Chamber Board Member and Director of Social B, said: “A reliable broadband connection is absolutely vital for all companies, yet 20% of Norfolk companies suffer from unreliable connections. The focus of the Government must be on providing businesses with sufficient and reliable broadband connections to enable to them to do business confidently.”
The British Chambers survey showed that with more reliable connections Norfolk businesses could do more. More than half of businesses (54%) said that if the reliability of their broadband connection was improved it would allow them to use more applications, particularly cloud-based services (24%), transfer of large files (16%), and remote server access for employees (14%).
Paul Grenyer, CEO atNorwich-based Naked Element,said: “My issue is with mobile signals when I am out and about in the county, which I do quite a bit because I like to go to see clients. Reception is very sporadic. I use the train because I like to work but the other day I went from Yarmouth to Norwich and I only had reception for 60 per cent of the time, which means that it is dead time. It is frustrating and it needs to improve.”
David Manning, Managing Director of MIGSOLV, which delivers The Gatehouse >You can read the Norfolk Voice magazine online.
My monthly online meet-ups bring together business owners from across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire (and beyond!) to share ideas, learn new skills, solve challenges and inspire one another.
We are running a series of FREE virtual events with the help and expertise of our members, do you have the knowledge you would like to impart and think would be useful for businesses during this period.
The virtual events will be 30 – 90 minutes long and will focus on key topics or subjects relevant to businesses of different sectors. These can focus on a particular software, how to work remotely, how to motivate your team or the rise of e-commerce for particular markets for example.
If you’re interested in delivering a virtual event with Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, please complete the online form to register your interest. We will be in touch to discuss your virtual event and arrange a date and time for this to take place.
Mirela Sula is the embodiment of sisterhood in action. From humble beginnings in Albania, she built a global women’s empire from the ground up—starting with nothing but vision, courage, and an unwavering belief in the power of women’s voices.
Today, she is one of the most influential leaders in women’s empowerment, standing with a global sisterhood behind her. Mirela is a TEDx speaker, international keynote speaker, author, and best-selling author, as well as a devoted mother. Her work spans continents, industries, and cultures, uniting women through purpose, connection, and shared growth.
Through Global Woman, Mirela uses her influence to empower women to find their voice, own their story, and recognise that when they speak up, they can truly make a difference. Her mission is clear: when women rise together, they create lasting impact—not just for themselves, but for generations to come.
Our mantra is simple: “If you want to empower a woman, give her a microphone.” And we mean it—literally.
We provide the platform, the room, and the right audience for you to present your vision, pitch your business, and gain the clarity and confidence to move forward. Whether you’re scaling your business or looking to invest in others, this is the space where powerful women build powerful futures together.
We provide a warm and welcoming space to connect with amazing women — starting with a Coffee Morning and meaningful networking opportunities.
Since 1st August 2016, the administration of the Apprenticeship Age Grant has beed devolved to the NEW ANGLIA LEP resulting in some significant changes for the benefit of employesr and apprentices.
Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) of 16 to 24 year olds in Norfolk and Suffolk supports businesses that would not otherwise be in a position to support individuals aged 16 to 24 into employment through the Apprenticeship programme. The following information is relevant to employers starting an apprentice from August 2016 in a business with a postcode within Norfolk or Suffolk. For businesses outside of this area should refer to www.gov.uk for details of the national AGE scheme or contact their training provider.
The scheme is being administered by Norfolk County Council on behalf of both counties. The grant will be offered to those employers who are eligible and such employers may receive up to 5 grants in any one-year period. The value of each grant is as follows:
£2000 for each apprentice who is aged 16 to 18 at the time they start their Apprenticeship;
£1500 for each apprentice who is aged 19 to 24 at the time they start their Apprenticeship.
The grant will be paid as a lump sum direct to the employers nominated bank account, once the apprentice has completed 10 weeks on the Apprenticeship programme and the necessary paperwork has been received: see “How do employers apply”? below.
So, which Employers are eligible? To be eligible employers must
Have fewer than 250 employees in total;
Start a new employee on an Apprenticeship or place an existing employee on an Apprenticeship programme on or after the 1 August 2016;
Commit to continuously employ that apprentice for a minimum of 12 months or as long as it takes them to complete the Apprenticeship;
Confirm that they are aware of and do not breach any state aid rules by receiving the grant;
Agree to pay the apprentice in line with legal minimum requirements or more;
Ensure that the apprenticeship is delivered by a training organisation that is funded by the Government to deliver Apprenticeship Frameworks.
For the purposes of this grant, the start date for the Apprenticeship is taken to be the date at which the Employer, Learner and Training Provider sign the Apprenticeship Agreement
Which apprentices qualify? To qualify, an apprentice must be:
Aged 16 to 24 at the start date of their Apprenticeship
Enrolled on an Apprenticeship Framework. (Starts on Apprenticeship Standards are not eligible)
Be working with an employer based in Norfolk or Suffolk
Eligible for Apprenticeship funding from the Skills Funding Agency
Eligible to work in England
Be starting a new Apprenticeship framework or progressing from a lower level onto an Advanced or Higher Level Apprenticeship
How do employers apply? Employers in Norfolk or Suffolk, once they have selected an Apprentice and the start date has been agreed, should go to www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/agegrant and complete an online application form for AGE. The following details will be required:
Name of Business
Name of the Apprentice*
Apprentice Date of Birth*
Name of Training Provider or College delivering the training.
Address of Business where the apprentice will be employed
Telephone Number
Name of contact within business
Email address
Bank Details (into which payments are to be made)
*Employers must seek permission from the apprentice to share these details with Norfolk County Council for the sole purpose of claiming the grant before submitting an application. It is recommended that this permission be obtained in writing.
Once the first stage of the application is completed, a password should be created which will allow login to the site after 10 weeks. The online system will issue a reminder to employers after 10 weeks to remind them to provide documentary evidence that the apprentice is still employed and in learning. This should be provided electronically by the training provider or college and can take the form of a progress review or a record of support or assessment. This must be signed by the employer, apprentice and the College or Training Provider representative. Once we have checked this document and verified the claim, the authority will make payment to the nominated bank account within 28 days. If there are any queries or issues, the authority will be in contact by telephone or by email to ask for clarifying information.
This payment is in the form of a grant and therefore it is exempt from VAT.
Employers should note that if the apprentice leaves or is not in learning after 10 weeks, eligibility for any proportion of the grant will lapse.
Employers who have already received a grant for an apprentice under this scheme and who apply for a further grant (maximum of 5) will be asked to provide evidence that the original apprentice is still employed on an Apprenticeship or has completed their qualification in full. If this is not the case, we reserve the right to withhold or refuse to pay any further grant.
Next Steps Employers looking to recruit a new member of staff then visit www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.organd choose “Employ an Apprentice”.
When the apprentice has been recruited and the college or training provider has completed the paperwork, the employer should visit www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/agegrant and complete the application. After 10 weeks, upload the required evidence and receive the money within 28 days of the claim being verified. Note: Most Colleges and Training Providers provide a free service to help employers to recruit an apprentice.
Training providers will be able and happy to offer assistance with the process, recruiting an apprentice and making sure that he/she is on the correct Apprenticeship qualification. Alternatively, contact Apprenticeships Norfolk/Apprenticeships Suffolk on 0344 8008024 or apprenticeships@norfolk.gov.uk.
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